Name

Dave

Sex:

Male

Age (at the time of first BQ):

51

Height:

5-10

Weight (at the time of first BQ):

170

At which marathon did you get your first BQ?

Victoria (BC) Marathon, 10/9/2016

Tell us a little about the race.

My 7th marathon, and 4th attempt at BQ of 3:30. Finished in 3:28:55. The course was a little hillier than I’d like, but not too bad; weather was perfect. Ran virtually even half splits – this was the first time I’ve been able to hold a steady pace throughout the race, and avoid a major crash after ~20. Very happy with the race. Wish I’d been able to cut about another minute off, to give me a chance at making the cutoff. But it was still a 4:35 PR, so probably all I could’ve asked for.

How long had you been running when you ran your first BQ?

About 7 years

Did you run in college or high school?

No

What was your approximate lifetime mileage at the time of your first BQ?

Roughly 10,000

How many miles did you run in the year before your first BQ?

2,845

Approximately how many races did you run in that year?

15

Did you follow a canned program? If so, which one? If not, can you give us an idea of what your training philosophy was?

Yes, Pfitzinger 12/70

Did you run with a running club or utilize a coach?

No

Did cross training play a role in your training? If so, how?

No. Pretty much zero non-running physical activity.

Did speed work play a role or specific workouts play a role in your training? If so, how?

Presumably; it’s been part of the training for a while.
The usual – some 5k-pace track intervals, some longer LT-paced tempos, some long runs with marathon pace finish.

Any other thoughts you would like to share with those of working towards a BQ?

No magic formula – just run. Did not start running seriously till my mid-40’s; first marathon at age 47. Steady mileage accumulation over time; >2300 miles in 2014, >2500 in 2015, and on pace for >2800 in 2016. Last 4 marathon training cycles averaged 60-70 mpw. Have run 1-2 marathons/year, gradually chipping away at the finish time. The last couple years I’ve started running a lot of other races as well; maybe that’s good for training, but in any case has been a lot of fun. And a big factor is that I’ve managed to stay pretty healthy the last ~1.5 years, although not sure why. But that certainly helps maintain the mileage consistency.